Mechanism for cloth finishing



April A9, 1935. s. L. cLuET-r l 1,997,483

. MECHANISM FOR CLOTH FINISHING Filed Aug. 15, 1952 managing@ less 4.UNITI-:D sTA'li-:s1 "PATENT oFFlci-z 1,991,413: smcmimsm soa cLo'm nmsm sums L einen.. rm. u. Y.. umm-to einen, f l Peabody a Co.; Ine., Troy, N. I., a oorporation-fof new York Application' August 15,

insa-sum Np.-mss1 scum. (cias-ss) L seriesof cloth finishing operations to extend the cloth to its originalwidth preparatory to ironing.l

ing with worm teeth on-the 'vertical supports. The enectvdesired and attained is to. provide for Vvarying the angularity of the two plates Il'from parallel. to an angle of divergencev'of severat de-4 grees as shownin Fig. 2. v

Suitably mounted on the inner face of eachfm of side plates Il there is provided a wheel-i0 having a rim of several inches width. The rims of these wheels provide diverging arcuate paths-for the edge portions of the fabric being` 10 treated The machine may, 11' desired, include telescopingl rods-NLpivotally fastened to each wheel I! sofas to connect the `-two wheels near l5 This Palmer Stretcher"v mr is herein turn in their somewhat divergent paths. diagrammatically-illustrated in connection-with For confining theclothtothe divergent paths the present inventionwhich provides for the atofzthe two wheel rims, 20, thermachineincludes tainment of a satisfactory-degree-of lengthwismV shrinkage. I

In' the drawing: l

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of mech-l anism according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic pian`view showing the l stretching apparatus of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 3 is a tic side elevation on a larger scale, showing the enact upon-'the `cloth of one ofthe web-edge engaging wheels and cooperating belts ofthe mechanism. and showing also the manner in whichy the edge of the cloth is held during widthwise stretching. v

Referring to Fig. o1, cloth drying and ironing mechanism is diagrammatically shown as comprising a large heated rotary drum ilofwhich the periphery is partially enveloped by an endless felt blanket I2, as well known in the art. The mechanism now to be described is adapted to perform the usual function of spreading or stretching the approaching fabric widthwise so that it wiilbe of full width when dried and ironed. P18

vHowever by this invention mechanism similar to that formerly used for-such purpose is further enabled to shrink the fabric lengthwise by mechanical means. so as to deliver fabric to the ironing device in a state vof lengthwise preshrinkage.

by two rollers 2l, 2S, mounted on a vertically adi .instable bracket 26 carried bythe corresponding side plate I4. Also after the band 42l leavesthe peripheryof the rim 2l, it is guided by a roll 2l mounted on a bracket 30 carried by theplate Il. A preferable feature of the invention constitut-l ing a significant change inmachinery of this their peripheries while permitting the wheels to kind consists in the manner inwhich eachfendl less band Il approaches the surface of its corresponding rim III.` Referring to Fig. 1, a roller I2 is 'so disposed.thatthe band in reversing its curva-4 ture is nipped between the roller and the rim Il.

'Ihe function and effect of this construction be `explained later in this specincation.' Each band 23 is tightened by adjustmentof its upper supporting bracketiand thus by its tension presses against the rim 2l, auch pressure being aug- Amented by pressure rolls 41, shown in suitable driving connections for the two wheels II `may be employed, and may be of any known construction, preferably being partly contained within the two rotatable hollow supports Il and permitting rotation of the same to adjust `the angularity of the wheels-Il as is customary in machines of this type. f v

- Fabric coming from any preceding cloth-nnishing mechanism, such for example as a-tentering machine 31, is suitably moistened in passing spray'noazles-ll, l! so as to contain for example from 5 to 15% of water, the fabric structure being`I thus rendered amenable to rearrangement by extermlly applied stresses. After around `an idler roller ll, the fabric enters between the bands u ma rims n. both assetto: u fahne 23 diverging in the same degree as the rims 20.

Upon leaving the rims 20, and passing around an idler roller 4,0, the fabric then runs onto the endless apron, blanket or belt I2 of the drying and ironing machine wherein the fabric is set in its attained condition.

The device of my invention provides for a condition of lengthwise relaxation in the fabric passing about the arcuate path between the diverging bands 23 and cooperating wheel rims 2li,` such that the fabric can respond to widthwise stretching by contraction in length substantially uniformly throughout the fabric. To this end. the web-edge holding arrangements of the device are preferably so shaped as to accommodate a certain lengthwise slackness of fabric. 'I'his is best accomplished, as shown in Fig. 3 by providing each band 23 with serrations 4| adapted `.to receive slack edge portions of fabric between transverse ridges 42 as indicated in Fig. -3. It has been described above how the guide roller 32 and rims 20 nip the bands 23 as the latter reverse their curvature in running onto the rims 20. This feature is Autilized to bring fabric into confinement between the bands and rims at a greater ratethari the bands travel during their divergence on the rims 20, thus to provide the desired lengthwise slack shown in Fig. 3.` Each b and 23 preferably includes a strong relatively non-extensible layer 23, which may for example be of strong non-` elastic fabric, ,and a relatively extensible layer 23b which may for example be of rubber.

As the band 23 initially engages the fabric the ridges 42 on its fabric-engaging surface are relatively separated; at and after the fabric is nipped between the bands and the rims, these ridges approach each other sufiiciently to cause the fabric which was initially extended lengthwise in its straight condition to be slack lengthwise in the arcuate path of the rims ,20. Thus the rims are caused to receive fabric at a somewhat greater rate than they travel.

The fabric, manipulated in this way, is free to shorten lengthwise during its widthwise stretching by the bands 23 and rims 20. Stress imparted to the wefts by such stretching results in a straightening of `the wefts; the fabric is internally plastic by virtue of its contained moisture, and the slack warps are free to crinkle and thus shorten the fabric as a whole. 'I'he serrated bands 23 enable such shortening to occur in the edge portions of the web so that the web shortens uniformly in all portions. The subsequent ironing operation fixes the web in this shortened state.

It shouldbe understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only-and that this invention includes all `modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims. y.

I claim:

1. Cloth finishing mechanism including rotatable elements providing arcuate paths of travel" y for the edges of a web of cloth, traveling diverging bands running in the arcuate paths dened by said rotatable elements and each shaped to hold the cloth against its respective rotatable element at longitudinally spaced points only, thereby providing free portions of cloth between such points, and means for bringing cloth into` confinement between said `bands and said rotatable elements at a faster rate than said bands travel during divergence, thereby to provide' lengthwise slack to permit lengthwise shrinkage during divergence of said web-confining bands.

2. Cloth finishing mechanism including rotatable elements providing arcuate paths of travel for the edges of a web of cloth,ltraveling bands running on said rotatable elements and adapted to stretch the web of cloth in width during travel about said arcuate path, said bands having serrations adapted to receive slack portions of cloth, the shape of the bands being such that only the teeth of said serrations corinne the cloth against said rotatable-elements, and means for so feeding cloth between .said bands and said rotatable elements as to provide lengthwise slack portions between the teeth of said serrations on the bands.

3. Cloth finishing mechanism including traveling diverging flexible bands having serrations adapted to receive slack edge portions of cloth, in combination .with members cooperating with said bands to grasp the edges of a cloth web whereby divergence of said bands'stretches the cloth widthwise, the bands and said cooperating members being shaped with relation to e'ach other to grasp the cloth only at the teeth of the serrations, and means defining paths of travel for the bands such that the 4serrations on each band approach each other to crowdcloth into said serrations preparatory to widthwis stretching. y

4. Cloth finishing mechanism includingv opposed wheels adapted to turn at an angle to each other, endless bands running partially around said wheels and having on their sides which face the wheels a series of serrations adapted to receive slack cloth, the cooperating surfaces of said bands and wheels being shaped with relation to each other to grasp the clothonly at the teeth of the serrations, and vmeans for guiding said bands in endless paths away from and back to the peripheries of said wheels, including guide members about which the bands vreverse their curvature vwhilefpressing cloth against Asaid wheels.

y 5. Cloth finishing mechanism including members defining arcuate paths for the edges of a web of cloth, traveling -bands runningv on said members and adaptedy to stretch the web of cloth in width during travel about said arcuate path, said bandshaving serrations adapted to receive slack portions of cloth, the shape of the bands being such that only the teeth of said serrations confine the cloth against said members, and

means for so feeding cloth between said bands and said members as to provide lengthwise slack portions between the teeth of said serrations on the bands. 4

SANFORD L. CLUE'I'I. 

